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When you are asked what is your “competitive advantage” what do you think? Processes? Patents/Intellectual property? Cutting-edge algorithms and data-analytics?

Those are all valid ways to have a leg-up on your competition. However, not all competitive advantages are high-tech and modern. Some are old-school. Tried-and-true methods for (in this case) building customer loyalty/satisfaction/based and making the sale. There are many areas in which a company can improve effectiveness, but that is for another post.

One of 7-Eleven’s competitive advantages allows one location to sell over 2,500 cups of coffee a day. 2,500 cups. A. Day. This location sells the most coffee out of any other 7-Eleven location in the world. Think of every single 7-Eleven you’ve ever driven by in your life. This 7-Eleven sells more coffee than that one.

How?

Store manager Delores Bisagni. Delores, who is on kidney dialysis, has been working at her location in Shirley, NY 7-Eleven for 18 years. Delores’s secret is knowing virtually every single customer’s name. That’s it. You go there, she greets you (by name if you’re a regular) sometimes with a hug, you get your coffee and get on your way. If you’re new, she greets you asks your name. Overtime, she’ll remember you, make you feel welcome for coming to her store, and causes you to come back. That is it!!! That is how she sells 2,500 cups of coffee a day! No traffic flow algorithm, CRM software, etc.

Delores might have profound name memorization skills and whatnot. However, I believe it’s more that she cares about her customers. “Care for our customers” is a slogan most businesses don’t understand and/or believe in. However, if you can truly understand and apply that concept, I think it will help you. Maybe not make you the #1 seller in your field, but will help you nonetheless. That is why I offer my services at a deep discount, give free editing for the life of your business, often give free advice, will work with clients that can’t pay right away, and follow-up on how your start-up is doing. So far it’s been working very well!

2 thoughts on “Competitive advantage and coffee”

Reblogged this on Fascination & Inspiration and commented:
Very true. Sometimes (many times) marketers get caught up in the newest findings and latest tech, but the tried-and-true “classics” like good customer service never get old.